The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-05-05

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EpFrona FLoRDKAx: ThIukln IN iIsu Acm |
nv pen might b Of eome intept - The NeetAefs |
and land owners Of Fiorida, q elnine M snb- |
ject Of Florida Tobacco moving trying nshow.
you the importance and 1avantages q - croH
vim cite 10 you the cass eths littie istrict d
North Carolina termed the 0Olden Belk"
b Q mountainous country and the land com
paratively Of little value. Land that twelve |
years ago, like much of the Florida land, vas % |
the market begging purchaser at hve dollars
hundred dollars per acre. according 70 location
and advantages, and much Of Il that cannot o
bought a. the farmers consider the investment
unapproachahle Why this enormous increase
Of vafuef Simply tho one crop, tobaccoi To-
bacco is the crop, and the theme. 1t p the
dependent afluence. Alter the growing seasoo
il over the travellers In traversng those districts
continually meet the farmers vending thedr way
20 the towns To diapoee Of their commodity.
Some Of them tina moro pulent with their mule
teams conveying thousands Of pounds. worth h
wards, and Others len aspiring and OF more
moderate means, with their Few hundred pounds. |
yet all with that ssails6ed look of contentment
betokening independence, knowing they have .
commodity that has a. eafablished value where
In they will be well and proftsbly paid for their
industry and that want and poverty no logger
stares them In the face.
q monopoly; or why should hey - more thrik !
ty than other distrieasf - Necessarily akey ne
not more 90 than some others. But In all coun-
tries there are districts where certain plants do
better than In general localities, which Ii gener-
ally caused by favorable conditions of soil and
climate aided by cultivation, &c.
Kentucky leaf Is cheap a. rule; and why
From the fact that the soil and climate are favor
able TO a rank growth. making q coarse, heavy
leaf and adapted only to cheap smoking aqg
chewing, excepting in rare cases choice lot q
finely colored Golden Leaf" selling ut fancy
prices as wrappers for high priced plug, which
when the farmer may be fortunate enough to
have such crop produces fortune from the
fact that they are extensive producers, forty ana
fifty acres being q common crop.
Virginia and Maryland are fair tobacco States.
yet it is not of the quality TO bring fancy prices.
Pennsylvania has been quite a fine tobacco
growing districts but she is losing her prece-
dence, excepting favored crops in Lancaster
county. Certain localities in Connecticut one
day carried the palm, but she nearly lost IL
through carelessness of her growers and keen
competition. But to-day in favorable coils and
localities by using highly ntrogenized fertilizers
they are producing fine leaf that manages to
hold her reputation in the market.
New York is quite producer, but her tobaccos
rank with Pennsylvania and the Western pro-
duction which are profitable more from the
energy and thrift of the producer than from ia
Yorableness of location.
Take the tobacco production of the United
States, and in carefully reviewing the local mar
ket reports we see that favored districts, that are
getting what may be termed fancy prices for
their tobacco, are those situated near the sea-
board, which making the climate more equable
and moist gives to the plant an even and thrifty
growth, not otherwise obtainable, also the evener
and warmer the climate the finer the leaf, eli
mate acting on vegetation same as on animal
life, producing finer and more delicate organ
ization. consequently nearer perfection. As
further proof of the advantages of the ameliora-
ting influence of sea air in the perfection OF fine
properties of tobacco we have the Vuelta Abajo
district in the Isle of Cuba, the selections OF
which sell at home at the extravagant figures Of
two to five dollars per pound, and you may say
almost prohibiting the expectation of the finest
leaf from the country, the Spaniard being
lover of fine tobacco as are any tobacco eEicu-
reans.
This tobacco is claimed to be raised on the
western coast OF the island, getting the full ben
efit OF the sea air, as the prevailing winds are
from the ocean, and that the sun ever shines on
it; l. 9. the land lying to the sun.
Now these being the facts, what must be our
logical conclusions in regard to tobacco pro-
duction in the State of FIoridaf Since sun and
sea air the essential requisites for the perfec-
ton of the plant Florida Is certainly q favored
section, being enclosed on three sides by water
and still better the southwest side is the Gulf,
which being warmer must be better, consequent
ly Florida having more seacoast than any other
State in the Union, and that In shape TO give
her the nearest advantage of an island, also ~
ing nearer the tropics than any other State,
gives her decided advantage over our sister
States In the production of Cuba tobacco. Since
we do not lay as far south as Cuba we CANNOT
expect to make an article equal to the best Gu
ban, yet we can make as good and better than
much of the imported article. Although the
probability is that the western coast from Her
nando county south is capable of producing an
article that will make fine grade of tobacco,
Cuba realizes that she has in Florida q rival
that is going to take from her the American trade
in fine goods. The time was that Florida had
bonanza in her broad leaf, but that was the
day in which Cuba controlled the cigar market
in good goods, as the smoker took IL for granted
best to be had, as it In reality was, only to day
there are more tricks of the trade" Florida
leaf then was much of II sold and mixed with
Cuban, the smoker then not dreaming but that
all Cuban was pure. It was also day oflight
colored goods when the thin Florida leaf not
having TO be put through q resweat, answered
the purpose for fine wrapper. But the mar
flavor, the tobacco has to be put through two
and sometimes three sweatings, which the deli
cate leaf did not contain body enough to stand,
and consequently to-day is not marketable. 1t
was fine tobacco for broad leaf, yet it could not
compare with the Spaniah or Cuban variety;
yet of its kind was the best in the market and
outsold all other localities showing conclusively
that Florida is favored section for the produc-
ton of tobacco
Now having plainly shown to you Florida's
superior advantages as q tobacco growing sec
ton, the question that arises il which variety
shall we raise, or, in other words, which variety
Is most proftablef There being but two dis
tinct varieties-all else being variations OF eli
mate, soil and cultivation I'VE are not perplexed
in answering the Spanish or Cuban. In the first
cents per pound Il brings the highest price of
any in the market and II GlscG1u In demand,
while the other ID often 90 depressed - nobto
bring the first cost Of production, Outlines there
being no demand for anything but the finest
sound leaf, while the Cuban is always saleable,
even to the most raggel and torn; Another
thing In its favor for should 1t be carefully hand
led (which It B very apt TO be here) 1t II saleabe
while the buyer would not look At the broad
leaf in that condition. Mind, do not coun-
tenance careless handling for It costs the pro-
Queer dearly, but say the Cuban will bear
1t better ~ ller leaf II It IL worth about half
the price Of wrapper, while broad leaf 6ller
10 worth about three cents per pound. Again
the Cuban b better adapted to this climate a. 1t
continues it, growth during the severest drought
On the other hand while Il 10 . serious matter
TO keep the worms OF the large growing, II is
little trouble to pick them from the Spanish.
Really the worms do not troubleit - much, and
being Of quicker growth b sooner out or the
way. Either they are not 90 fond Of Il, or from